Marketing Comms of Innocent

Introduction

Innocent ltd is a relatively new company as it was first established in 1999 by Richard Reed, Adam Balon and Jon Wright and it engages on the production and the distribution of fruit drinks. The company operates on a multinational basis but was originally established in the United Kingdom where it now distributes its products through 11,000 outlets (Marketline 2012).

Innocent’s major products are fruit products which consist of: Smoothies; Juice; Kids smoothies; Kids juicy drinks; Fruit tubes; Veg pots (Marketline 2012). Because Innocent ltd produce drinks specifically made for children their target audience would be the parents of those children. As well as targeting parents for young children there is a larger target audience. ‘While less than half of consumers (47%) buy smoothies, those that do are biased towards the under-35s and those in the AB socio-economic group’ (Mintel 2010). This therefore being innocent’s target market.

Innocent primarily focus on the production of their fruit smoothies in which they are become somewhat of a ‘brand leader’ as in 2010 it was said to account for 78% market share (Mintel 2010)(see appendix A). Innocent have managed to gain this mammoth market share through successful promotional strategy which involve various marketing communications later to be discussed in this document.

Innocent’s major competitors within this market sector include, ‘Princes Limited, Orchard House Foods Ltd, Naked Juice Company, Smoothie Operators’ (Marketline 2012).

Smoothie drinks are currently seen to be a ‘luxury product’ which would therefore means that Innocent’s products will be sensitive to the current economic climate (Mintel 2010). This meant that in the recent years in which the UK have experienced a relatively poor economic climate in which people have less purchasing power, innocent smoothies have ‘experienced an 8% decline in value sales between 2008 and 2010’ (Mintel 2010). It is essential that the company take into consideration various economic issues as it has proven that it has a direct effect on their business.

‘Political forces, which encompass both legal and ethical issues, shape their use of marketing communication through legislation, voluntary controls and individual company attitudes towards issues of right and wrong’ (Fill, 2011, p15).

It is essential that Innocent focus on the technological aspect of marketing communications because ‘new technology has revolutionised traditional forms of marketing communications and led to more personalised, targeted, customised and responsive forms of communication’ (Fill, 2011, p16).

Recent socio-logical factors have an impact on the smoothie market. Advertising for the food and drink industry has somewhat changed over recent times, in the fact that most brands are